For years I had heard about and lusted after authentic vodka made from potatoes. I tried vodka made from grapes, rye, and wheat, all of which were good but the Holy Grail of the clear spirit escaped me.

Then, on a recent trip to Las Vegas, a friend and I decided to visit Red Square, the Vodka bar in Mandalay Bay which is reputed to have over 150 different brands. After elbowing my way through yuppies and frat boys I finally made my way to the bar, which incidentally has a layer of ice covering it ostensibly to keep your drink cold but realistically as a marketing tool, and asked for the bartender's recommendation on a potato vodka.

He recommended Zyr, poured up a martini very dry (he rubbed the vermouth bottle on the outside of the glass) and passed it to me.

My first sip and I thought "Humph. Is this what I've been waiting for?"

The vodka was smooth and, to my surprise, sweet. Not girly drink sweet but definitely not the peppery tinge most vodkas, even the ultra premiums, carry.

I sipped the glass to its finish (and it is a big glass, the drinks are pricey here but at least decent sized) then made my way through obnoxiously trendy people and out of a halfway decent bar, my goal accomplished.

Since Red Square I have tried several different potato vodkas ranging from the Chopin Potato to the much more affordable Luksusowa. The Chopin is a little smoother and the Luksusowa a little sweeter, the others range in between.

One important thing to consider when contemplating between the purchase of a regular, grain vodka and a potato vodka is what is the intended use? In my opinion, the potato is more suitable to being consumed straight, maybe with a couple of olives or a twist of lemon peel. I do not like the way it mixes, particularly with anything sweet. It seems to clash with even the few drops of vermouth used in an "in and out" martini.

Still, if you are a vodka drinker I would recommend picking up a bottle of the Chopin and giving it a try. If you like it, step down and try other levels until the cost/benefit ratio is determined.